Flapper valve for a toilet tank

ABSTRACT

A flapper valve for a toilet tank has an annular flange, a cone and an airflow controlling member. The cone is hollow and protrudes from the bottom of the annular flange. The cone has chamber and a vent defined in the outer periphery of the cone and communicating with the chamber. The airflow controlling member is attached to the cone and corresponds to the vent to make air in the chamber being discharged through the airflow controlling chamber. Accordingly, the discharging rate of the air from the chamber in the cone is adjustable, and the volume of flushing water of the toilet is also adjustable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a flapper valve, and more particularly to a flapper valve for a toilet tank and having airflow controlling member to adjust the volume of flushing water of a toilet tank.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] With reference to FIG. 7, a flapper valve (60) is pivotally connected to an overflow pipe (51) in a toilet tank to close a drain pipe (50) of the toilet tank. The flapper valve (60) is connected via a chain to a handle (not shown) protruding from the toilet tank. When the handle is pressed, the flapper valve (60) will be pivotally rotated relative to the overflow pipe (51) to open the drain pipe (50). Accordingly, the water stored in the tank will be drained into the bowl of the toilet through the drain pipe (50). The conventional flapper valve (60) in accordance with the prior art comprises an annular flange (61) and a cone (62). The flange (61) is pivotally connected to two stubs (52) on the overflow pipe (51) through two arms extending from the flange (51). The cone (62) protrudes from the bottom of the flange (61) and has a chamber defined in the cone (62). A bottom opening is defined in the bottom of the cone (62) and communicates with the chamber. When the flange (61) closes the opening of the drain pipe (50), the cone (62) is received in the drain pipe (50) and air is contained in the chamber in the cone (62).

[0005] When the flapper valve (60) is rotated to open the drain pipe (50), the cone (62) leaves the drain pipe (50) and enters the toilet tank. The water in the tank flows into the chamber in the cone (62) via the bottom opening, and the air in the chamber will be discharged from this chamber via the bottom opening. Because there is air contained in the chamber in the cone (62), the flapper valve (60) will be kept in an open condition due to the buoyancy provided by the water. The buoyancy provided to the flapper valve (60) will gradually decrease by the discharge of the air via the bottom opening, The flapper valve (60) will automatically drop and close the drain pipe (50) due to the weight of the flapper valve (60) when the air contained in the chamber cannot provide enough buoyancy to the flapper valve (60).

[0006] However, because the air in the chamber is discharged via the bottom opening in the cone (62) from where the water in the tank enters the chamber, to discharge the air from the chamber via the bottom opening take a long time, and the tank is always completely emptied. The volume of flushing water of a toilet tank with a conventional flapper valve (60) is too large and thus is wasteful.

[0007] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a flapper valve to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The main objective of the invention is to provide a flapper valve for a toilet tank and having a capability of adjusting the volume of flushing water of the toilet. The flapper valve has an annular flange, a cone and an airflow controlling member. The cone is hollow and protrudes from the bottom of the annular flange. The cone has a chamber and a vent defined in the outer periphery of the cone and communicating with the chamber. The airflow controlling member is attached to the cone and corresponds to the vent to make air in the chamber be discharged through the airflow controlling chamber. In such an arrangement, the time for discharging the air from the chamber in the cone is reduced, and the volume of flushing water of the toilet is also reduced.

[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a flapper valve in accordance with the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side plan view of ten flapper valve in FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a flapper valve in accordance with the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 4 is an operational front plan view of the flapper valve in FIG. 3;

[0014]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a flapper valve in accordance with the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional side plan view of the flapper valve in FIG. 5; and

[0016]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a drain pipe and an overflow pipe of a toilet tank with a conventional flapper valve in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a flapper valve (10) in accordance with the present invention for a toilet tank comprises an annular flange (11), a cone (13) and an airflow controlling member (20). The annular flange (11) is pivotally connected to in overflow pipe (not shown) in the toilet tank and closes a top opening of a drain pipe (not shown) in the toilet. In practice two arms (12) extend from the flange (11) in parallel, and each arm (12) has a mounting hole (121) to pivotally receive a stub (not shown) mounted on the overflow pipe. With the engagements of the mounting holes (121) in the arms (12) and the stubs on the overflow pipe, the annular flange (11) is pivotally connected to the overflow pipe.

[0018] The cone (13) is hollow and protrudes from the bottom of the annular flange (11). The cone (13) has a chamber (131) and an opening (132) defined in the bottom of the cone (13) and communicating with the chamber (131). A vent (133) is defined in the periphery of the cone (13) and communicates with the chamber (131).

[0019] The airflow controlling member (20) is attached to the cone (13) and corresponds to the vent (133) to discharge from the chamber (131) via the vent (133). In the first embodiment the airflow controlling member (20) has a tubular body inserted into the vent (133) and a passage (21) defined through the tubular body to communicate with the chamber (131).

[0020] In such an arrangement, wheel the flapper valve (10) is rotated to open the top opening of the drain pipe, the water in the tank will enter the chamber (131) through the opening (132) and the air in the chamber (131) will be discharged through the passage (21) of the control member (20). Because the air is discharged via a way different from that for water entering the chamber (131) the speed for discharging the air out from the chamber (131) is increased. Time for discharging the air is also reduced. Consequently, the flapper vale (10) will drop and seal the top opening of the drain before the tank can be flushed out empty. This can reduce the volume of flushing water of the toilet tank, and the waste of water is prevented.

[0021] In addition, with mounting another airflow controlling member (20′) with a passage (21′) having an inner diameter different from that of the controlling member (20) (as shown in the phantom lines), the rate of discharging the air via the control member (20′) is changed. Therefore, the volume of flushing water of a toilet tank can be a adjusted by means of changing to a different airflow controlling member (20,20′).

[0022] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the second embodiment 1 of the airflow controlling member (30) has a flat plate (not numbered) pivotally attached to the cone (13) and corresponding to the vent (133) to selectively close part of the vent (133). A bore (134) is defined in the cone (13), and a stub (31) extends from the flat plate and is inserted into the bore (134) in the cone (13) so as to pivotally attach the controlling member (30) to the cone (13).

[0023] In operation, the air in the chamber (131) of the cone (13) can be discharged from the part of the vent (133), which is not closed by the flat plate. The area of the vent (133) blocked by the flat plate determines the discharging rate of the air from the chamber (131). Therefore, the discharging rate of the air is adjustable by means of pivotally rotating the flat plate relative to the cone (13).

[0024] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the third embodiment of the airflow controlling member (40) comprises a plug (41) and a disk (42). The plug (41) is received in the vent (133). A bore (411) is defined in the plug (41), and a ventage (412) is defined through the plug (41) and communicates with the chamber (131) in the cone (13). The disk (42) is moveably mounted on the plug (41) and corresponds to the ventage (412) in the plug (41). A shaft (421) protrudes from the disk (42) and is moveably inserted into the bore (411) in the plug (41) so as to moveably combine the disk (42) with the plug (41). A gap (not numbered) is defined between the plug (41) and the disk (42).

[0025] In such an embodiment, the air in the chamber (131) can be discharged from the ventage (412) in the plug (41) and the gap between the plug (41) and the disk (42). When the disk (42) is moved relative to the plug (41) the gap between the plug (41) and the disk (42) is changed. Accordingly, the discharging rate of the air is adjustable by means of moving the disk (42) relative to the plug (41).

[0026] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is Illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A flapper valve for a toilet tank having an overflow pipe and a drain pipe with a top opening, and the flapper valve comprising: an annular flange with a bottom and adapted to pivotally connect to the overflow pipe to close the top opening of the drain pipe; a hollow cone with a bottom and a periphery protruding from the bottom of the annular flange and having a chamber; an opening defined in the bottom of the cone and communicating with the chamber; and a vent defined in the periphery of the cone and communicating with the chamber; and an airflow controlling member attached to the cone and corresponding to the vent to control airflow discharged from the chamber via the vent.
 2. The flapper valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the airflow controlling member has a tubular body inserted into the vent and a passage defined through the tubular body to communicate with the chamber.
 3. The flapper valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the airflow controlling member has a flat plate pivotally attached to the cone and corresponding to the vent to selectively close part of the vent.
 4. The flapper valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cone further has a bore defined in the periphery of the cone; and the flat plate of the airflow controlling member has a sub extending from the flat plate and rotatably inserted into the bore in the cone.
 5. The flapper valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the airflow controlling member comprises a plug received in the vent and having a bore defined in the plug and a ventage defined through the plug and communicating with the chamber in the cone; and a disk moveably mounted on the plug, corresponds to the ventage in the plug and has a shaft moveably inserted into the bore in the plug. 